In my opinion, there are two key ingredients to a great Wrestlemania: quality matches, and of course, a solid card. While the card for Wrestlemania 30 isn’t complete, it’s clear enough to give some thought and colorful opinions. Let’s break it down, shall we?
Andre the Giant Memorial 30-Man Battle Royal
This is the first time in a long time that I can honestly say WWE has a much deeper and better roster than TNA and ROH combined. The Andre the Giant Memorial battle royal makes a lot of sense for this reason alone. After all, the roster is too thick to carry too many meaningful feuds into the event when there is not enough space on the card to highlight them. Now I’m not the biggest fan of these type of matches due to all the congestion, but there have been some good ones throughout the years. This one has the potential to be spectacular!
The Wrestlemania battle royal will be loaded with superstars at just about every level. You’ve got upper card cats like Sheamus and the Big Show, middle of the road guys like Christian and Dolph Ziggler, and bottom rung guys like 3MB. Engaged in their own little beef, I’m sure the rivalry between Sheamus and Christian will rear its ugly head during the battle royal. We could also see what appears to be brewing with Cody and Goldust. Expect something much better than what Vince gave us at Wrestlemania 2.
John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt
I briefly touched on my lack of enthusiasm for this feud in a recent Raw recap. It just seems to be missing something. Even with the beatdowns on Cena and what I thought has been some of Bray Wyatt’s finest promo work, I just haven’t been into it like I anticipated. On the bright side, I see it being a memorable match. Bray seems to improve every time he steps into the ring, and I honestly think Cena can pull a good match out of just about anyone. Yeah I said it. Throw in the potential for Hogan to get involved, and this one could end up hatching one of those all-time Wrestlemania moments.
Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar
Can’t say I’m necessarily stoked about this one, either. Unlike Cena and Wyatt, though, there are no mysteries here. I lose more interest every year in Taker for the simple that he isn’t around to care about. The match also lacks the intensity of a genuine rivalry. Taker comes back to challenge Brock out of nowhere? Why? Then there’s the streak. I’m not sure if it will ever end, but I just don’t see Lesnar being the man to garner that honor. Will it be a good match? The Deadman seems to deliver consistently on that front. However, I think some I Quit, Last Man Standing, or Falls Count Anywhere stipulations will make sure of it.
Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H
Now this is a match I’m uber excited for. We’ve had some Randy Orton, Shield, and Wyatts mixed in, but the heat between these guys has been slowly rising since Summer Slam. It has now boiled over to an intense conflict that has the fans fully invested in the outcome. Ultimately, the Universe got what they wanted, and that’s a prominent spot at Wrestlemania for Bryan; possibly the biggest one in the main event. I’m sure I’ll get what I want in an awesome match. Even being sort of limited and repetitive in his WWE moveset, Bryan is arguably the best “wrestler” on the roster. And though his in-ring appearances are minimal, Triple is still as fierce a competitor as he’s ever been between those ropes. Here’s your match of the night!
Randy Orton vs. Batista (vs. Daniel Bryan)
It’s something the IWC whines about, but predictably is just a part of wrestling, man. Some things you just expect to go down. Among them was Batista winning the Royal Rumble and going on to face Randy Orton for the belt at Mania. I knew this. We all knew this. But unlike a lot of people, I was actually alright with it. I haven’t forgotten what a huge role Batista played in keeping “sports entertainment” interesting for a stretch of about five to six years. How he put on good to classic matches with the Undertaker, Triple H, John Cena and many more. I believe Orton and Batista could be solid, but adding Daniel Bryan to the picture will certainly up the intrigue.
The same crowd that would’ve ticked me off with childish chants in attempt to “hijack” the match will be insanely hot, threatening to create an electric environment the likes no Wrestlemania has seen. Adding a third party to the mix will enhance the excitement around near falls, short-lived partnerships, and everything that makes a triple threat so cool. Plus there’s the potential big pay off to the long, grueling story behind the Yes Movement. If Daniel Bryan manages to get by the Game, this should be an epic main event.
We might get three or so more matches, but this is the real meat of your Wrestlemania 30 card, right here. What do you think about the lineup? Who’s gonna come out on top?
